For Ethyl acetate, the odor threshold is lower than its PEL.

• A. Higher
• B. Lower
• C. Equal
• D. Not determinable

Answer: (B)

The quantity being compared is how easily you can detect the substance by smell (odor threshold) versus a regulatory safety limit (PEL). If the odor threshold is lower than the PEL, you’ll start to detect the scent of the chemical at concentrations well below the level considered safe for exposure. That means the smell acts as an early warning before workers reach the permissible exposure limit. Ethyl acetate is known for a fruity odor that can be detected at relatively low concentrations, so it makes sense that its odor threshold is lower than its PEL. If the threshold were higher than the PEL, you could be exposed to harmful levels without noticing the odor; if it were equal, the smell would begin right at the limit; if not determinable, we'd need measurement data. Therefore, “lower” best fits the relationship described.